Engineering firm says the allegations have been resolved

Montreal-based engineering company SNC-Lavalin says allegations that an Oakville-based subsidiary used code words to account for bribes on several projects across Africa and Asia have been resolved and are history.

“Our focus is on moving ahead with systems in place so such accusations cannot be made again,” spokesperson Leslie Quinton wrote in an email to the Star on Wednesday.

The Globe and Mail and CBC reported the allegations Wednesday that the company paid “consultancy costs” to win contracts for several international development projects. According to the CBC report, the alleged payments were made between 2008 and 2011.

SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. said in April it reached a settlement with the World Bank Group in an investigation into allegations of bribery involving a bridge contract in Bangladesh.

Under the agreement, the World Bank will not award any projects to SNC-Lavalin and its controlled affiliates for 10 years.

SNC-Lavalin Group said previously that it launched an internal investigation when the matter was first brought to its attention and worked with the World Bank throughout the process.

“As everyone knows, SNC-Lavalin has been addressing a variety of issues that have been raised either during investigations by authorities or internally, including through our whistleblower program,” Quinton said.

The company has instituted new reporting structures, restructured certain divisions and, in some cases, dismissed employees for behaviour that does not conform to its code of ethics, she said.

The RCMP raided an SNC-Lavalin office in Oakville in September, 2011 at the request of the World Bank.

Two former SNC-Lavalin executives are slated to appear in court in late May. Last June, they were charged with bribery under the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act. Ramesh Shah, 61, of Oakville and Mohammad Ismail, 48, of Mississauga were accused of trying to bribe officials in Bangladesh.

The charges have not been proven in court.

With files from Jeff Green

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